So You're Mortal... Now What?

Alabaster Xnight:

Shock:

or have them them become Immortals

This, most of the methods for immortality are discoverable and who'd spend all that time trying to earn something and only want a short run at it? 

Shock:

Or kill them all and make them vamps!

Vampires, while not difficult type of immortality is a total rip off for a Promethean,

You can't really choose to be a Mage, though a Toaist Alchemist from Second sights seems doable, and damn appropriate given the previous line of study.

the Redeemed are for all intents and purposes, mortal and thus they have the capability to become any and all supernatural splats in WoD again.

which was my point in the first place.  

Shock:

the Redeemed are for all intents and purposes, mortal and thus they have the capability to become any and all supernatural splats in WoD again.

Nice point, but absolutely without use. OP seemed to be asking for recommendations and while ANYTHING is possible, the best recommendations are those that are most plausible, make the most sense and even if unexpected are consistent with story structure.

The major templates are given from upon high, chosen at very least by a being of that power level, with other template by inscrutable forces. The recommendations I made were those that the character could initiate by their own volition.

I believe it was acknowledged the templates were possible, and recommendations were what were requested. If yours is anything is possible, that is valid and true but mine shall be more targeted and focused on which fit best.

Shock:

the Redeemed are for all intents and purposes, mortal and thus they have the capability to become any and all supernatural splats in WoD again.

This may be less true than you think.  In particular, there's a heritage issue when it comes to werewolves: arguably, werewolves have a hybrid spirit/flesh nature from the moment of their birth and as a direct result of their parentage; the First Change merely activates a dormant trait that they already had.  So unless you can argue that the New Dawn is somehow capable of producing a person with a hybrid spirit/flesh nature, there aren't going to be any Redeemed who become werewolves.  The most likely possibility for this, in my mind, would involve an Ulgan-based Athanor.  (Is the Wolf taken?  I don't recall seeing it anywhere.) The Redeemed Boon would be the acquisition of the Wolf-Kin Merit, and the Storyteller option to eventually turn you into a werewolf.  Another possibility would be to say that if your creator used animal parts when he assembled you, then you might become a nascent werewolf when you Redeem.  There aren't that many other possibilities.  (Something similar might be needed in order to become a psychic; or not.)

But IMHO, going supernatural at all runs counter to the premise of the New Dawn, in that being a natural human being is the whole point of the exercise, and is something that should only be done as the exception to the rule.  For the most part, the Redeemed should spend at least some time as a mortal; and the focus of "now what?" shouldn't be "which supernatural type should I become next?", but rather "what am I going to do with my mortality?" 

As well, the talk about what kind of supernatural creatures you can become carries a subtext that I personally find very annoying: namely, the assumption that the only interesting people in the World of Darkness are the supernaturals.  The Redeemed has just completed a grueling Pilgrimage that was geared to teach him all about humanity; now that he has acquired it, it only seems fitting that his role in the story be to demonstrate the value of what he has achieved. 

You can always make the case that if you were an Ulgan you were literally born in the spirit world, so you don't have to worry about that being an issue.  Or you could say you were put together with wolf kin parts.  You really have no back history so you could make up anything.

Dataweaver:

But IMHO, going supernatural at all runs counter to the premise of the New Dawn, in that being a natural human being is the whole point of the exercise, and is something that should only be done as the exception to the rule.  For the most part, the Redeemed should spend at least some time as a mortal; and the focus of "now what?" shouldn't be "which supernatural type should I become next?", but rather "what am I going to do with my mortality?" 

This.

I never understood why people think that the "natural" extension of playing a Redeemed Promethean is to become another supernatural.   If they want to be a supernatural, then why didn't they just stay a Promethean?   There are ways around the Wasteland and Disquiet effects, after all.    Its like a slap in the face to the entire concept of a New Dawn.

That said, I can think of a few playable exceptions to this - as long as they remain exceptions:

1. The Redeemed tries to live the life of an ordinary human, and for whatever reason ends up regretting taking that final step and becoming mortal.  Now he seeks a means of becoming "special" again.  Possible routes, besides the lesser templates, would be Vampire or Changeling, as these can be acquired by approaching the appropriate party and convincing him, her, or it to take you in.
2. The Redeemed concludes that the human condition is "merely" another waypoint on his still ongoing Pilgrimage, and continues to seek to better himself spiritually.  As indicated in a previous post, this could lead to taking up the Taoist Alchemist tradition; and it would be thematically appropriate for such a Redeemed to Awaken, as he would likely view the Mage quest for Gnosis as a natural extension of his still-ongoing Pilgrimage.
3. Alternately, he may develop (or retain, if he ever followed the Refinement of Pyros in his prior existence) a fascination with the Divine Fire, leading him either down the path of the mad scientist or down the path of the mortal alchemist.  He may even end up seeking to become a demiurge.
4. He doesn't want to become supernatural again.  But the tragedy of the World of Darkness is that sometimes there are creatures who don't care what you want, and who may transform you against your will.  Again, the vampires and changelings are viable routes for this; but so are Sin-Eaters.  And don't forget that the Redeemed are the only mortals who can become Prometheans.  (This also applies to the first option.)
5. Similar to the prior item, the Redeemed is quite satisfied with being a mortal.  However, he has been burned once too often by the foes of the New Dawn to live and let live, and now takes up a Vigil against Pandorans and Centimani.  (Alternately, an old foe follows him into his new life, and he's drawn back into the conflict against his will; or some other monster intrudes on his life, and triggers his enmity for having "ruined his reward".)
6. Like Calogero from the Water of Life, the Redeemed returns to his former Promethean brethren in order to help them across the finish line.

Reasons 3, 5, and 6 will usually leave the Redeemed as a mortal, but can still draw him or her back into the Promethean world - which makes them viable options if the player wants to continue with the same character after the New Dawn has played out. 

Sorry- that was just me ranting a bit.   Every time the idea of a Promethean game comes up, the prospective players always eventually think that they should reach the New Dawn, then "evolve" into something else.   Annoys the living hell out of me.

No apology necessary.  I, too, was ranting on the same thing.  The exception can and should be considered; but all too often, people don't treat it as the exception.  And it bugs the hell out of me, too. 

Michael S:

And they lived happily ever after.

Seriously, why not?

cause the Pilgrimage makes them realise that happiness isn't the core value of life?

Sparketh:

Or kill them all and make them vamps! Or kill them all and make them geists!Or have some True Fae drag them off to Arcadia and unite the group years later.  Perhaps there was enough wolf blood (or even pieces) in those corpses to make them wolf blooded upon redemption. Shortly afterwards, they experience the first change.

There are endless possibilities really. Talk to your group about what they want.

That's AWESOME!!

I want a subscription to your newsletter!

Dataweaver:

That said, I can think of a few playable exceptions to this - as long as they remain exceptions:

1. The Redeemed tries to live the life of an ordinary human, and for whatever reason ends up regretting taking that final step and becoming mortal.  Now he seeks a means of becoming "special" again.  Possible routes, besides the lesser templates, would be Vampire or Changeling, as these can be acquired by approaching the appropriate party and convincing him, her, or it to take you in.
2. The Redeemed concludes that the human condition is "merely" another waypoint on his still ongoing Pilgrimage, and continues to seek to better himself spiritually.  As indicated in a previous post, this could lead to taking up the Taoist Alchemist tradition; and it would be thematically appropriate for such a Redeemed to Awaken, as he would likely view the Mage quest for Gnosis as a natural extension of his still-ongoing Pilgrimage.
3. Alternately, he may develop (or retain, if he ever followed the Refinement of Pyros in his prior existence) a fascination with the Divine Fire, leading him either down the path of the mad scientist or down the path of the mortal alchemist.  He may even end up seeking to become a demiurge.
4. He doesn't want to become supernatural again.  But the tragedy of the World of Darkness is that sometimes there are creatures who don't care what you want, and who may transform you against your will.  Again, the vampires and changelings are viable routes for this; but so are Sin-Eaters.  And don't forget that the Redeemed are the only mortals who can become Prometheans.  (This also applies to the first option.)
5. Similar to the prior item, the Redeemed is quite satisfied with being a mortal.  However, he has been burned once too often by the foes of the New Dawn to live and let live, and now takes up a Vigil against Pandorans and Centimani.  (Alternately, an old foe follows him into his new life, and he's drawn back into the conflict against his will; or some other monster intrudes on his life, and triggers his enmity for having "ruined his reward".)
6. Like Calogero from the Water of Life, the Redeemed returns to his former Promethean brethren in order to help them across the finish line.

Reasons 3, 5, and 6 will usually leave the Redeemed as a mortal, but can still draw him or her back into the Promethean world - which makes them viable options if the player wants to continue with the same character after the New Dawn has played out. 

This is awesome and I love you for it.  Option 6 is my favorite, I think, because of the mental image it gave me of a Redeemed running some sort of boardinghouse kind of thing for Prometheans to stay in as they pass through town. (If I recall correctly, Redeemed are immune to the effects of Disquiet, though I may be mistaken and just thinking of some houserule I picked up somewhere.)

Some are; most aren't.  It all depends on how well you did on your final Azoth roll.  (On a normal success, you're an ordinary mortal, fully susceptible to Disquiet, Lunacy, and Disbelief; on an extraordinary success, you're an extraordinary mortal, fully immune to those cloudings of the mind.)

Anyone remember the Osirians from the Classic World of Darkness?  The ones that survived the Judgement of Osiris were gifted with Humanity.  Now they lost their powers but could live and die apart of the Natural Cycle.  One more thing to consider is many of them were very... very old.

A Promethean that went decades if not Centuries to reach the New Dawn may very well have outstanding stats.  And life has more options for a Mortal who is not only a Genius but one of the greatest Athletes of the World.  Even if he forgot his life as a Hunk of ugly, being a perfect model of mental and physical acuity is not the worst way to start a life as an Amnesiac.

That depends on how the Promethean's experience was spent; any of it that went toward Azoth or Transmutations will be gone.  Of course, those who acquired an Athanor would have been able to supplement their regular experience with Vitriol in a couple of the traits that made the transition to mortality; so it could go either way.  Overall, you're right; the Redeemed are unlikely to be starting-level characters. 

Armidale Cheiron:

Michael S:

vhurka:

What happens to these guys after the pilgrimage is over?

And they lived happily ever after.

Seriously, why not?

Or we could go with a more depressing alternative...

The Prommie becomes Redeemed but finds that he is not cut out for society yet. He's spent years or even decades avoiding too much interaction with humans, which makes him slightly "socially backward." He doesn't have any documents to give him a 'legitimate' identity - no bank cards, no birth certificate, no driver license. He doesn't have any money, or if he does he doesn't have enough (or the accompanying documentation necessary) to be given a rental apartment. And he has no qualifications from university or any after-school training (eg. plumbing or mechanic).

So what happens? He ends up on the streets, begging for scraps to avoid dying. Then winter comes about, and without that iron constitution he used to have, he starts to get sick from the cold of the alleyways and the streets. He can't afford to go to the doctor, so he gets worse every day. Eventually he falls asleep in an alleyway one night, too sick from the cold.

He doesn't wake up.

And there's what is more likely to happen to a Redeemed.

Then he is approached by a gesit and brought back as a Sin Eater! Sorry had to